Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Christians Favor MO Candidate Todd Akin over GOP

Since the inception of the Tea Party, Christians have made it clear that they put no faith in party loyalty. Now as the Republican establishment attempt to crucify outspoken Missouri pro-lifer Rep. Todd Akin, whom voters chose to defeat the current Missouri pro-abortion Senator Claire McCaskill, Christian grassroots and prominent evangelical spokesmen are defending the six-term congressman from the St. Louis suburbs, despite his "one word" gaffe.

“The mistake I made was in the words I said, not in the heart I hold. I ask for your forgiveness.”-- Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)

"I misspoke one word in one sentence on one day, and all of a sudden, overnight, everybody decides, 'Well, Akin can't possibly win,'" he said on a national radio show hosted by former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. "Well, I don't agree with that."

Akin predicted he would bounce back from the political crisis threatening his campaign, including a call from presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney to leave the race, and capture a seat that is pivotal to Republican hopes of regaining control of the Senate.

In a potential sign of his strategy, Akin appealed Tuesday to Christian evangelicals, anti-abortion activists and anti-establishment Republicans. He said he remains the best messenger to highlight respect for life and liberty that he contends are crumbling under the big-government policies of President Barack Obama.

Noreen McCann, who lives in the same suburban St. Louis area as Akin, said Tuesday that his rape comment hasn't weakened her support for him. McCann expressed frustration that Akin was being publicly flayed for his ill-chosen words while other Democrats — specifically President Bill Clinton — have survived scandals that included accusations of sexual impropriety and lies.

Akin "is a man of principle. I trust and respect his integrity and his commitment to defending American values," said McCann, who had passed out Akin fliers on primary election day. "I think he wants to defend all innocent human life. If he misspoke, or it was in the wrong context, that is not a major problem for me."

The Republican political establishment drew closer to a confrontation with some in the party’s Christian conservative wing Tuesday as Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri chose defiance over surrender, refusing to step aside as the GOP nominee for Senate.

But after two days of apologizing, Akin grew angry Tuesday, allowing a deadline to pass on an easier way to withdraw from the contest. The congressman made clear that he would not apologize for his belief that abortion should be illegal, even in cases of rape.

The staunchest opponents of abortion, led by the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins and the Eagle Forum’s Phyllis Schlafly, said they remained behind Akin’s candidacy Tuesday.

“Todd Akin . . . has a record of voting to protect human life,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, said in a statement. He “has been an excellent partner in the fight for the unborn.”

“I believe the defense of the unborn and a deep respect for life, which underlie all of America, those are important parts of who we are. And they’re not things to run away from,” Mr. Akin said on the radio program hosted by Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor.

. . . “We can’t run from our shadows every time someone says ‘abortion,’ ” he told Dana Loesch, a conservative talk radio host, on Tuesday.

Ione Dines, 72, from Marshfield, Mo., a Republican activist for 45 years and a Missouri state committee member since about 2006, said she was “just devastated” by her party’s actions.

Mr. Akin found support among anti-abortion activists and Christian conservatives, in Missouri and around the country. “Missouri Right to Life supports Congressman Akin’s defense of the life of an innocent unborn child conceived by rape,” declared Pam Fichter, president of the group’s political action committee.

“No one is speaking up on his behalf — this is a travesty,” said Rick Mathes, executive director of the Mission Gate Prison Ministry in Chesterfield, Mo., and an acquaintance of Mr. Akin’s. “With all this negative publicity, it’ll have a reverse spin, just watch. More people will be getting out to vote for him.”

[Congressman Steve] King, a close friend and ally of Akin's who campaigned for him during the primary, stood by Akin's side. He told a local television station that he didn't want to give his thoughts on Akin's specific remark because he hadn't heard it in context, but attacked those who were blasting Akin as focused on "petty personal attacks."

"I think this election should be about how did Todd Akin vote and what did he vote for and what did he stand for and in this case, I'm seeing the same thing, petty personal attacks substituting for strong policy," he said.

The Iowa congressman, who supports changing the law so Medicaid won't cover abortions for victims of statutory rape and incest, said he didn't personally know of anyone who'd been in that situation.

Tim Wildmon, president of the conservative American Family Association, said in a statement that the controversy had been overblown and should be forgotten, since Akin has apologized.

"Even if he is medically incorrect, still, that is irrelevant to the issues of life that may come before him for a vote should he be elected to the U.S. Senate," he said.

Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council Action, said Akin's comments were inappropriate and indefensible, but his group still supports Akin because of his long-term anti-abortion positions.

John Putnam, Missouri state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, rose to the defense of Akin on Tuesday blaming Republicans for not “circling the wagons around him and getting him through this.”

Putnam, who is also the Republican Party chairman of Jasper County, ranked Akin as the 21st most conservative member of Congress during his six terms in the lower chamber.

“No question that things are rapidly deteriorating in terms of his ability to stay in the race. I hold the party somewhat responsible, mostly responsible for not pulling behind him the way the Democrats support their guys when they make a gaffe,” explained Putnam.